Category: Key Concepts

Are you considering taking an online course? Many people are nervous to enroll in their first online class because it is often a new medium and might require adjusting learning styles. However, in addition to the number of online courses…

Online education is often thought of as a current phenomenon. However, in reality, this mode of education has been in development for over two centuries. With today’s technology, we are at a monumental juncture in the field. Check out this…

Instructional scaffolding (also known as educational scaffolding) refers to the process of supporting students as they work to achieve educational goals that they would be unable to accomplish on their own.

Just as construction workers add temporary scaffolding to buildings, teachers can use instructional scaffolding techniques to put temporary “props” in place as students “build up” their skills and knowledge. Eventually, once the student has been sufficiently trained, the scaffolding can gradually fade away and be removed.

Rhizomatic learning is a perspective on learning that has been promoted in the past few years by Dave Cormier, a teacher at the University of Prince Edward Island.

In botany, a rhizome is the term used for the stem of a plant, usually found underground, whose roots spread out in many directions. With this image in mind, supporters of rhizomatic learning believe that learning is a multi-dimensional process that has no defined beginning or end. Learning is a complex, chaotic process, in which each student independently chooses his or her own path.

The rhizomatic learning perspective is based on the premise that teachers cannot possibly know or cater to students’ individual needs, interests, and contexts.

Which is better – online learning, or face-to-face? Torn between the two? Try a HyFlex course.

A HyFlex (hybrid-flexible) course is a course that allows each individual student to choose whether they want to attend class online or in person. Students can choose their preferred method of learning on a daily basis; they can attend some sessions online, and other sessions in the classroom.

We all know that pedagogy refers to teaching methodologies, but have you ever heard of heutagogy or andragogy?

While pedagogy refers to teaching strategies used for any type of individual (usually children), Andragogy refers to teaching strategies specifically designed for adult learners. The third word, Heutagogy , is the study of self-directed learning.

A class blog is a great online forum for students to post thoughts, discussions, and multimedia content related to what they’re learning in class. But without an audience to visit and interact with the blog, it’s difficult for students to feel motivated enough to post and maintain the blog.

Enter QuadBlogging, a creative practice that was devised by David Mitchell in 2011. QuadBlogging refers to a system in which 4 classes join together to form a “Quad.” Each week, one class’s blog becomes the focus blog, and the other 3 classes visit and comment on that blog. Thus, after a 4-week cycle, each class has had a turn to become the focus blog, and their work has been viewed and appreciated by the other classes.

Learning analytics refers to the practice of gathering and analyzing data about student performance in order to improve and personalize the learning experience for each student.

Take a look at this infographic created by Open Colleges to find out how learning analytics can be used, what its limitations are, what is holding it back from becoming more popular, and how it can affect the future of learning.

Featured Posts

What do online courses offer in the way of preparing students for the Real World? What life skills could students gain by taking online courses? Here are 6 great examples of skills that students can learn in an online classroom environment.